Subject: Re: Booting straight into Linux

From: Theo Markettos <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 15:39:28 +0000 (GMT)

David Ramsden wrote:

> How can I boot *straight* into Linux, bypassing that screen asking me to
> select either 1.) Risc OS or 2.) Linux. So basically it from me double
> clicking on !Linux it will go staright into the 'Uncompressing Linux'
> screen. 

AFAIK, at least without the source to Russell's bootloader, you can't. 
However, I've hacked Matthew's !BootLinux app to add extra command line
options to autoboot (ie not wait for a click in the RISC OS window), and
control whether to shutdown or not.  The autoboot option uses the slightly
underwhelming feat of writing the console input required (essentially
2|Mroot=<whatever root is>|M) to a file in PipeFS, and *Execing it. 

It's a bit of a hack, but it works.  ATM it's slightly broken the
usual startup method (I use a separate Obey file to do the autoboot), but
that's a trivial fix when I've got time.  Anyone is welcome to a copy if
it's of any use (Matthew - I'll send you the changes when I've done that 
fix).

If you want Linux to start completely, you might also need to sort out the
fscks that run by default and give a console prompt.  I've currently got
them disabled (perhaps a bad idea), awaiting sorting out some sort of cron
system.

Some of these may not be necessary in your situation - my aim was to be
able to do reboots over telnet, so console prompts or RISC OS error boxes
aren't much help.  I've got it working - remote RISC OS (+VNC) - Linux
(+X) - RISC OS rebooting from the other side of town is quite neat...

Hope this helps,
Theo

-- 
Theo Markettos                      [email-masked]
Gonville & Caius College            [email-masked]
Cambridge, UK

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---

From: Russell King - ARM Linux Admin <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 19:03:29 +0000 (GMT)

> 2|Mroot=<whatever root is>|M) to a file in PipeFS, and *Execing it. 

Yes you can boot straight into it.  If you'd like to install the kernel
correctly, *and* read the supplied !Help, it will tell you how to do it.
Indeed, when I get in at night, all I do is turn the RiscPC on, have
dinner, and then log into Linux.

This is, in fact, the intended mode of !Linux.  No hacks, no extra software
required.

> them disabled (perhaps a bad idea), awaiting sorting out some sort of cron

Linux does start completely.  Did you follow the FAQ wrt installing the kernel.
If not, it's not installed correctly, which would tend to indicate why you're
having soo many problems.

> (+X) - RISC OS rebooting from the other side of town is quite neat...

Indeed, I can reboot my machine from 50 miles away and log into it using
nothing more than that which is on the FTP site.
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